Ruidoso baseball team blanks the Institute

What difference a week can make - especially for the Warrior baseball team.

The RHS hardballers Saturday took down the visiting 14-5 (now) NMMI Colts, 10-0, to take a fourth-straight victory and even their record to 9-9.

The Warriors Thursday were 5-9 going into the Hot Springs doubleheader before sweeping the Tigers, 11-6 and 20-3. Thursday, at Dexter, the hometown boys crushed the Demons by 10 runs, 12-2.

Saturday's 10-run mercy-ruled game in five innings gave them what they wanted - an even record overall.

Jessie Tercero stepped on the mound for the Warriors and went four innings only giving up three hits and one walk. Ryan Yaksich relieved Tercero in the fifth, giving up no hits and two walks. Ruidoso committed only one error in the contest.

The Warriors made an early statement when they struck for two runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead. Tercero did a masterful pitching job and blanked the Colts throughout the next three innings.

The fourth inning proved to be the deal-breaker when Ruidoso put eight big runs a across the dish. Until then it had been a close contest.

When Yaksich, the catcher, came on to pitch in the fifth, Robert Lopez came in to take up the "tools of ignorance" behind the plate as the backup catcher was out with an injury. Lopez, a sophomore, hadn't caught a game since his freshman year.

In the hitting department, Jordan Wright had a two-for-three outing and three big RBIs. Bryce Thompson had a perfect afternoon at 1-1 with three RBIs.

Advertisement

Luke Chavez came in to pinch hit and produced a run-scoring single.

The big blow of the contest came in the bottom of the fifth inning when Parker Johnson doubled with the bases loaded. That two-bagger put three runs across the plate and gave the Warriors a 10-run win. Johnson was 2-4 on the day with three important RBIs.

"It was 2-0 going into the fifth and we were locked into a close one," RHS head coach Gilbert Alvarado said. "It was another good game by the Warriors. The Institute is a good team. They beat us, 5-2, back on March 26.

"When we were 5-9, the Warriors came up with a team goal to get to 9-9 and they accomplished that goal with four consecutive victories. Redemption was the reward."

NMMI left runners in scoring position multiple times.

Saturday, the Warriors will entertain the Lovington Wildcats in a twinbill starting at noon.